Note left for Andrew Johnson

[marieandlouis]

I'm not sure if this was already talked about....
Did anyone ever confront Andrew Johnson about the famous note left by John Wilkes Booth at the Kirkland House the night of the Lincoln Assassination?

[marieandlouis]

Sorry I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Gloria. I used to post quite awhile ago. I'm back now eager to learn more.

[L Verge]

Welcome back, Gloria! I never remember any follow-up on the note to Johnson other than some modern speculation that it might have been meant for Johnson's assistant. Anyone else know something about this?

[RJNorton]

Welcome, Gloria! I agree, Laurie. I read that the note might have been meant for William A. Browning, Johnson's secretary. Browning and Booth met each other when Booth was doing performances in Nashville.

[marieandlouis]

Welcome, Gloria! I agree, Laurie. I read that the note might have been meant for William A. Browning, Johnson's secretary. Browning and Booth met each other when Booth was doing performances in Nashville.

If it was meant for William A. Browning, was he ever questioned on Booth's note to him?

[RJNorton]

From Poore, here is Browning's testimony at the conspiracy trial.

*****************************************

WILLIAM A. BROWNING,

a witness called for the prosecution, testified as follows:—



By the JUDGE ADVOCATE:

Q. Will you state if you are the private secretary of the President?
A. Yes, sir: I am.
Q. Were you with him on the 14th of April last?
A. I was.
Q. [Exhibiting a card to the witness.] What knowledge, if any, have you of that card having been sent to him by John Wilkes Booth?
A. Between the hours of four and five o’clock in the afternoon, I left Vice-President Johnson’s room in the Capitol, and went to the Kirkwood House, where I was boarding with him. Upon entering, I went up to the office, as was my custom; and I saw a card in my box. Vice-President Johnson’s box and mine were adjoining: mine was 67, his was 68. In 67 I noticed a card. The clerk of the hotel, Mr. Jones, handed it to me. This I recognize as the card.
Q. Will you read what is on it?
A. “Don’t wish to disturb you. Are you at home? J. Wilkes Booth.” It was in my box.

[The card was offered in evidence without objection.]

Q. You do not know any thing about the handwriting of Booth?
A. No, sir.
Q. You had no acquaintance whatever with J. Wilkes Booth, had you?
A. Yes, sir: I had known him when he playing in Nashville, Tenn. I met him there several times. That was the only acquaintance I had with him.
Q. Did you understand the card as sent to the President, or to yourself?
A. At the time, I attached no importance to it. I had known him in Nashville; and, seeing the card, I made the remark, when it was handed to me by the clerk, “It is from Booth: is he playing here?” I had some idea of going to see him. I thought, perhaps, he might have called upon me, having known me; but, when his name was connected with this affair, I looked upon it differently. It was a very common mistake in the office to put the cards intended for me in the Vice-President’s box; and his would find their way into mine, they being together.

Cross-examined by MR. DOSTER:

Q. Will you state, if you know, at what hour the Vice-President was in his room that day?
A. I cannot do so with accuracy. I really do not know at what hour he was there. He was at the Capitol, I think, for the greater part of the forenoon of that day,—that is my impression,—and was at dinner at five o’clock. I do not think he was out afterwards. I was out myself, and did not return till after this occurrence at the theatre.
Q. Do you know at what time he left his room in the morning?
A. I do not.
Q. You know he returned about five o’clock?
A. He was there at five o’clock; but I cannot state at what hour he returned. He was there at dinner; and we generally dined at about five o’clock.
Q. You say he was in his room for the balance of the evening?
A. Yes, sir: that is my impression.
Q. Were you in his room in the course of the evening?
A. I was there, I think, up to six or seven o’clock; and I was not there afterwards until about eleven o’clock. It was after the assassination that I returned. I was out that evening.

[marieandlouis]

From Poore, here is Browning's testimony at the conspiracy trial.

*****************************************

WILLIAM A. BROWNING,

a witness called for the prosecution, testified as follows:—



By the JUDGE ADVOCATE:

Q. Will you state if you are the private secretary of the President?
A. Yes, sir: I am.
Q. Were you with him on the 14th of April last?
A. I was.
Q. [Exhibiting a card to the witness.] What knowledge, if any, have you of that card having been sent to him by John Wilkes Booth?
A. Between the hours of four and five o’clock in the afternoon, I left Vice-President Johnson’s room in the Capitol, and went to the Kirkwood House, where I was boarding with him. Upon entering, I went up to the office, as was my custom; and I saw a card in my box. Vice-President Johnson’s box and mine were adjoining: mine was 67, his was 68. In 67 I noticed a card. The clerk of the hotel, Mr. Jones, handed it to me. This I recognize as the card.
Q. Will you read what is on it?
A. “Don’t wish to disturb you. Are you at home? J. Wilkes Booth.” It was in my box.

[The card was offered in evidence without objection.]

Q. You do not know any thing about the handwriting of Booth?
A. No, sir.
Q. You had no acquaintance whatever with J. Wilkes Booth, had you?
A. Yes, sir: I had known him when he playing in Nashville, Tenn. I met him there several times. That was the only acquaintance I had with him.
Q. Did you understand the card as sent to the President, or to yourself?
A. At the time, I attached no importance to it. I had known him in Nashville; and, seeing the card, I made the remark, when it was handed to me by the clerk, “It is from Booth: is he playing here?” I had some idea of going to see him. I thought, perhaps, he might have called upon me, having known me; but, when his name was connected with this affair, I looked upon it differently. It was a very common mistake in the office to put the cards intended for me in the Vice-President’s box; and his would find their way into mine, they being together.

Cross-examined by MR. DOSTER:

Q. Will you state, if you know, at what hour the Vice-President was in his room that day?
A. I cannot do so with accuracy. I really do not know at what hour he was there. He was at the Capitol, I think, for the greater part of the forenoon of that day,—that is my impression,—and was at dinner at five o’clock. I do not think he was out afterwards. I was out myself, and did not return till after this occurrence at the theatre.
Q. Do you know at what time he left his room in the morning?
A. I do not.
Q. You know he returned about five o’clock?
A. He was there at five o’clock; but I cannot state at what hour he returned. He was there at dinner; and we generally dined at about five o’clock.
Q. You say he was in his room for the balance of the evening?
A. Yes, sir: that is my impression.
Q. Were you in his room in the course of the evening?
A. I was there, I think, up to six or seven o’clock; and I was not there afterwards until about eleven o’clock. It was after the assassination that I returned. I was out that evening.

Thanks Roger for this information!!!!

[LincolnMan]

Does anyone know where the card is today?

[Dave Taylor]

Does anyone know where the card is today?

It's on display at the National Archives until January: http://boothiebarn.com/2014/03/26/update...-archives/

[LincolnMan]

Thanks Dave. The placard description states the note was meant for VP AJ. Why would he desire to see either of them ( the VP or his secretary) at that time? Maybe just to make sure the VP was "in place?"

[Dave Taylor]

Why would he desire to see either of them ( the VP or his secretary) at that time? Maybe just to make sure the VP was "in place?"

I think most authors would agree with you. I believe that either Booth was checking to make sure the Vice President was going to be accessible for assassination or, in the event that the attack on him did not occur, it would throw a mysterious and suspicious light on the new President (which it did).

[LincolnMan]

Even though Booth may have been setting up others for the crime he was about to commit- it's hard to imagine that he didn't realize that he would never have a life afterward. Surely, he knew the South had lost the war. He he had escaped to anywhere in the world- how would he ever have found peace? It seems like he was doomed no matter what.

[Gene C]

Booth seemed to believe he would be hailed as a hero to the people of the south.
It never ceases to amaze me the stewpid things people will believe.
(I guess we all fall into that trap, to some degree, at one time or another)

[BettyO]

Powell believed the very same thing - or so he told Gillette; that he was "acting as a Confederate soldier; that he was told he would be a hero to the southern people. He also thought that it would bring peace to the south."

I attribute such naivety to his youth and lack of sophistication. Booth was more worldly and should have known better -

[L Verge]

Both were still fighting for what they believed in, IMO. In the case of Booth, it was more than just the Southern cause - it was a vendetta against a politician that he despised for what he perceived as the destruction of the republican form of government (notice the lower case "r").

Please read Bill Richter's Sic Semper Tyrannis. There is another book that was written within the past few years (that I can't remember the name of) that touches on the exact same topic. Even Mike Kauffman wrote a special honors paper at the University of Virginia on Booth and republicanism. It was a political doctrine for him that was being destroyed by Abraham Lincoln. I am not condoning his deed, but there was a method to Booth's madness. And, he wasn't the only one to feel that way - even after the full surrender of troops.

That frustration in how old values and constitutional principles are being challenged continues to exist today. Hopefully we can solve things without resorting to civil wars and assassinations.